This theme holds a particularly dear place in my heart.I was a ballet dancer for 17 years, starting at a very young age. At 14 my ballet instructor in Southern Calfornia asked my parents if she could take me (move) to Boston to audition for The Boston Ballet--a dream come true!

However, my family was moving to the midwest and my parents had their concerns about me living across the country without them, and my studies {now I totally understand--at 14, it was a bit harder}. I continued to study dance into college, and The Boston Ballet always has held a special place in my heart, though I never did get that audition!

The Nutcracker Suite is also a particularly special ballet to me. I adore the music, the story, the characters and how wildly my imagination would wander when I would watch it.

Several months ago a client requested I design a Nutcracker Suite Ballet Party for her daughter. I was beyond thrilled to say the least, and it was an absolute dream creating the party design for her!

Her party will not occur until much closer to the holidays, and I wanted to be sure to share my Nutcracker Suite Ballet Party design with you all as soon as possible--for inspiration you may use for your own Nutcracker Ballet Party this year!

As if my personal passion for The Nutcracker Suite wasn't reason enough, I was connected last summer with photographer Liza Voll, a ballerina herself and photographer of several Boston ballet companies--and many performances of The Nutcracker.

For the client, we decided that each guest would receive a hardback copy of a picture book of The Nutcracker Suite including a cd to twirl to {with personalized bookplate} along with their invitation, which let them know they would be viewing a presentation of The Nutcracker Suite and enjoy Nutcracker Ballet-inspired Sweets as well! I have always loved the idea of giving an item along with the invitation to build excitement about the event.

COLOR SCHEME

No surprise here: pink was the base for everything!

We chose light ballet pink, medium pink, dark pink, cranberry with hints of sparkly silver and white. Even though the Sugar Plum Fairy kept popping up in conversation, the actual color plum did not. I spoke with photographer Liza, and we agreed that many performances have the Sugar Plum Fairy wearing pink, not plum, and we went with that.

PARTY TABLE DESIGN

{Table Covering}

I wanted a floor-length table covering that was tiered, ruffled, and went from lightest to darkest shades of pink, similar to the image of the costumes shared earlier.When you go with such a lavish table cloth, however, it is important to keep what goes on top of it a bit well-coordinated, as not to be too busy or compete. When watching the ballet from seats far away, I remember as a child it was the costumes that stood out, so the vision of the skirts represented by the table linen was perfect to represent the ballet as a whole.

{Linens & Tableware}

I absolutely adore personalized party favors, and cannot express enough what delight children take in seeing something with their name on it. I always recommend using placecards when are of the age where they may argue over who gets to sit next to the guest of honor.

Instead of placecards, I had designer Emily of Magnolia Creative create for me precious painted pottery (salad plates) for each guest, which was not only their placecard telling them where they would sit, but also served as what they would eat on at the party, and after a quick rinse and dry, they would take home as a lovely party favor!

Classic light pink linen napkins {Williams and Sonoma}, traditional silver flatware and clear glasses {acrylic are great for younger ones} completed the look--pristine, feminine, and sweet. A taffeta table runner was placed down the middle and lined with clear glass beaded platters and bowls of treats, trimmed with cranberry velvet ribbons.

A Nutcracker was a must, but at the client's request I needed to make sure he was masculine, but not in traditional Nutcracker colors. Therefore, a silver and white Nutcracker was the goal--and found {At Michaels}! We didn't the actual Nutcracker theme to be too domineering, therefore we decided just one was best.

Over the dessert table I created, I hung hand glittered letters strung together on pink ribbon, spelling out "Sweet Dreams"--the goal was that each guest would have nothing but these after attending the ballet and party.

DESSERT TABLE

Inspiration: Oh, the dessert table! This was a huge part of the party design, and the details were very important. The idea was to create a stage--I believe that dessert tables when well executed, are like works of art, and that was the goal. Each dessert represented different characters, costumes, props or scenes from The Nutcracker Suite Ballet.

Design: On a matching 3-tiered pink floor length table cloth, was the dessert table design. It was placed under just a simple trio of pink tulle poms, and the "Sweet Dreams" garland was hung sort of off-center on the side. The magical pink and silver trees I created gave height and reinforced the color-scheme. The Nutcracker stood out well, and while pink was used throughout, hints of silver could be found to give it a luster and sparkle that felt like nothing but pure magic.

Dessert Vessels and Displays: I opted for clear glass vessels, many beaded, allowing the desserts to truly stand out. I made sure clear glass domes, because they were to represent snow globes, something the client's daughter adored (as do I!) and it worked well with the theme, as if what was inside was something magical.

ACTIVITIES

Party Crackers: cardboard gift wrap tubes were cut into approximately 6" sections, covered in light pink paper, then wrapped with layers and layers of tulle (either cranberry or pink), and tied with a beautiful ribbon in the opposite color {tulle and ribbon from JoAnns}. A tag created by Jen personalized with the child's name, was attached to each one. The client will be inserting the girl's tickets to the matinee ballet performance inside of their "party cracker".

The client will be taking all the girls to the ballet (a very small group), and weather-permitting, they will go on a horse-drawn carriage ride before the performance. After attending the ballet, the girls will be going to the client's home for their "Nutcracker Sweets", music from the ballet playing in the background, and there they can talk all about the performance.

ATTIRE

Each guest will be receiving a large box, wrapped in pink and tied with gorgeous cranberry satin ribbon, with a lovely custom printed gift tag. In it will be sweet, simple and fluffy no-sew tutus the client will be making herself. What a LOVELY treasure! {wrap from The Paper Source}

I have always dreamed of a full tulle skirt with a dupioni silk waistband with a large bow and sash in the back. I had seen a pettiskirt done this way and fell in love with it.

The girls will also be receiving ribbon wands, similar to those you see in my party design which were made by the lovely Kate of Pinwheels and Pearls, that give the girls the power to prance and twirl and enjoy hours of playtime with the wand. Kate's quality of work is outstanding, I am so very impressed!!!

For the guest of honor, she will wear a tiara. Nicole of Tradewind Tiaras created the most spectacular custom tiara for my party...I cannot say enough. Even the photographer, a dancer herself, had her breath taken away with the beauty and quality. Handmade, and gorgeous.

I hope that this Nutcracker Suite Ballet Party has filled your head with visions of Sugarplum Fairies and served as a source of inspiration.